1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an assembly for restraining garmentry and similar other travel items during travel. More particularly, the present invention relates to an assembly or series of interconnectable assemblies for organizing garmentry during travel, which garment organizing assembly and/or system supports and restrains garmentry intermediate opposing panels.
2. Description of Prior Art
The prior art is replete with examples of garmentry-receiving and/or garmentry-organizing luggage and the like. Separate systems and/or assemblies for organizing garmentry, which separate systems and/or assemblies may be used in conjunction with standardized luggage, are less well known. Some of the more pertinent prior art relating to luggage-organizing assemblies and the like usable in combination with standardized luggage are described hereinafter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,562,952 ('952 patent), which issued to Chinman, discloses a Wrapper for Clothing. The '952 patent describes a wrapper for clothing and the like comprising a flexible member having a central area with a plurality of outwardly extending wing sections. A reinforcing base is provided in the central area. The wrapper also includes a shape retainer having the same geometric shape as the reinforcing member but being of a lesser dimension. Accordingly, articles of clothing may be folded around the shape retainer so that the articles are folded into the geometric shape, and the articles may then be placed on top of the base. The wing sections may then be folded over the articles to wrap the articles therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,431 ('431 patent), which issued to Pulichino, Jr. et al., discloses a Suitcase with Compartment for a Foldable Garment Bag. The '431 patent describes a suitcase comprising a generally rectangular container, a partition dividing said container into two compartments, a full length garment bag having at least one clothes hanger, said garment bag consisting of an elongated fabric sheath for enclosing a suit or dress and including means for opening said bag while it is unfolded with a garment hanging freely in it and thereafter closing said bag upon a garment, said garment bag being folded upon itself in one of said compartments.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,324 ('324 patent), which issued to Franklin et al., discloses a Soft-Sided Luggage Case with Interfitting and Foldably Separate Packing Compartments. The '324 patent describes an openable and closeable soft-sided luggage case having an external flexible panel, an internal frame structure surrounding an internal cavity, and a carrying handle or a carrying strap connected to the frame structure, includes a first packing compartment which is connected to the external panel. The first packing compartment extends into the interior cavity and consumes a portion of the interior cavity when the case is closed.
The remaining portion of the interior cavity forms a second packing compartment. The first packing compartment includes a cover member which is selectively closeable for separating the first and second packing compartments when the case is closed and which is selectively openable for allowing access to the first packing compartment when the case is opened. The first and second packing compartments are equally accessible and available for packing. The first packing compartment may function as a garment bag. A packing and unpacking method is also used for the case.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,297 ('297 patent), which issued to Myers, discloses a Garment Bag Construction to Minimize Wrinkling. The '297 patent describes a garment bag of the type having an elongate body substantially formed of flexible fabric or sheet material, and defining a cavity with a hanger support at the top for receiving hanging clothes on hangers. The bag folds double on itself for transport, and includes a pair of rigid wall portions which when the bag is folded double on itself are urged forcefully together.
These rigid wall portions substantially immobilize the clothing items therebetween to greatly reduce creasing and wrinkling of the clothing items which would otherwise result from their shifting about in transit. The garment bag also includes features preserving the efforts of careful packing during folding and unfolding of the bag to further reduce clothes wrinkling. Also, the garment bag includes a specially configured toiletries kit which by its shape and placement in the folded bag further contributes to a reduction of clothes wrinkling. The garment bag is also self-supporting in its transport conditions so that it is more convenient to carry by hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,766 ('766 patent), which issued to Deconinck, discloses a Travelling or Packing Bag. The '766 patent describes a bag enabling personal belongings to be packed and carried inside a case comprises a rigid inner tray having a support edge of rounded profile and a packing wall which is at least partly solid. The tray is pivotable between a horizontal position and a vertical position. Personal belongings can be laid flat on the packing wall when the tray is in the horizontal position. In the vertical position a jacket previously folded in two in the longitudinal direction and a pair of trousers can be laid astride the edge.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,026 ('026 patent), which issued to Chernoff, discloses a Garment Holding Device for use with Various Types of Luggage. The '026 patent describes a novel garment holding device for use with various types of luggage comprising a substantially cylindrical hollow tube about which suits and other garments can be completely wrapped, a fabric cover for holding garments securely about the outside surface of the tube, and a flexible hanger which is capable of holding suits and other garments against the outside of the tube while being flexible enough to conform to the curvature of the tube.
A fabric cover wraps around the garments and the tube and holds the garments securely against the outer surface of the tube. Because the garments will be rolled instead of folded, wrinkling of the garments will be reduced. The hollow center of the cylinder is utilized to carry bulky and awkward shaped objects such as shoes and shaving or makeup kits. The tube, when holding a garment wrapped around its outer surface, can be carried inside any luggage of appropriate size. Because of the novel way the suits and garments are wrapped around the outside of a cylinder the overall shape of the luggage can be more compact and easier to carry.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,391 ('391 patent), which issued to Gerch, discloses a Garment Carrier within Suitcase and Method for Packing. The '391 patent describes a luggage piece and a method for packing and transporting the same. A first compartment has an interior for carrying first items. A second compartment is provided for carrying second items. The second items are distinguishable from the first items in that the second compartment includes a hanging device for hanging articles from the hanging device.
The second compartment, therefore, acts as a garment carrier and the first compartment acts as a standard luggage compartment. The first compartment and the second compartment are integrally formed as a single luggage piece for simple packing and unpacking of articles as well as simplified transport of the luggage piece following packing of the articles. An extendable arm having a handle and wheels is provided for transport of the luggage piece.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,207,426 ('426 patent), which issued to Godshaw et al., discloses a Combination Duffle and Garment Bag. The '426 patent describes a luggage item convertible from a duffle bag form to a garment bag form by disengaging duffle end panels from the lateral sides of the garment bag and folding those end panels against the inside of the garment bag. Various arrangements of handles and carry straps are disclosed which facilitate transport of the luggage item as a duffle bag or a garment bag.
It may be seen from a review of the prior art that the prior art fails to disclose a garment organizing system, assembly, and method whereby one or more support panels support garmentry placed thereupon, and one or more restraint panels are fixedly attached to respective support panels for selectively restraining panel-supported garmentry. A plurality of support panels may then be linked together and stacked into columns, and the columnar stacks may then be neatly inserted into standardized luggage for further travel. The prior art thus perceives a need for such a garment organizing system, assembly, and method as described in more detail hereinafter.